Channel 4 News blocked by mob in Sri Lanka

Hundreds of protesters have blocked a train taking a Channel 4 News television crew, in Sri Lanka to cover the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, from travelling to the north of the island.

A team of six journalists left their Colombo hotel to catch an early-morning train to the city of Kilinochchi, in the heart of the former conflict zone.

The team had been tailed by Sri Lankan state intelligence agents on to the train. Five hours north of Colombo, in the city of Anuradhapura, a large mob of pro-government demonstrators met then train and then blocked the tracks, preventing the train – which had hundreds of passengers on board – from continuing. Sri Lankan police say that demonstrators have now also blockaded all the stations between Anuradhapura and Kilinochchi.

The crowd, which accused Channel 4 of accepting funds from the proscribed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (popularly known as the Tamil Tigers), demanded that the journalists return to the capital. A stand-off ensued, which has now continued for two hours. The demonstrations come two days before Commonwealth heads of government, including David Cameron, arrive in Colombo for a biennial summit. All protests were banned by the Sri Lankan government in the run-up to the meeting.

‘Free access’

The British high commission in Sri Lanka has been informed of the situation. The editor of Channel 4 News, Ben de Pear, who is on the train, also informed the office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is reported to have personally invited Channel 4 to visit any part of the country.

After publicly stating Sri Lanka a free & peaceful country @PresRajapaksa said “go anywhere”. But a mob of hundreds blocked our train north — bendepear (@bendepear) November 13, 2013

“It would seem entirely contrary to the promise of free access to all parts of Sri Lanka, which the president has repeatedly made,” said Mr de Pear. “I do not know why the authorities do not want us to travel north, but we are hearing reports that families of some of the thousands of people who have disappeared in this country have been held in northern Sri Lanka and are reportedly being assaulted by the military. “All this on the day that the foreign secretary, William Hague, arrives in this country.”

This encounter was reported in state-owned newspapers on Wednesday, but the reports misquoted President Rajapaksa as having asked Mr Miller “to visit any part of the country and see for himself the progress made in the post-war period.” On this occasion, the president did not say this.

The senior deputy inspector-general of police in Northern Central Province, Ravi Wijegeinawardena, was informed of the president’s reported invitation when he arrived to request that the Channel 4 team return to Colombo, but he continued to insist that the journalists disembark and turn back.

‘Freedom of expression’

Channel 4 News has reported on the allegations that at least 40,000 Tamila were killed in the final few weeks of the war and on subsequent allegations of serious human rights abuses by Sri Lankan security forces.

The director of No Fire Zone, Callum Macrae, who is among the Channel 4 journalists trapped on the train, said: “The British government made clear that one of the conditions for its attendance at the Commonwealth summit was that the international media be free to do its job.

“The Commonwealth is bound by core values which include respect for democracy, human rights and freedom of expression and it is extraordinary that the host nation and future chair of the Commonwealth is openly flouting every one of those principles.”

Concerned to hear of incident with @Channel4News. Have raised with Foreign Minister Peiris

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146 reader comments

Rowan Simpsonsays:

channel 4 thinks it owns the world. they have no decency and report the sri lanka story with an arrogant imperialist mindset. they spread lies and nothing but lies. Cameron has not shown statesmanship, he acts like a child. In Sri Lanka I hope people of sri lanka will display their anger at these British imperialist mob. Again, that included Cameron but not Charles and the Dutchess

So somehow the UK prime minister & independent news journalists are ‘imperialist’ but the royals whose descendants built up and presided over one of the largest empires the world has ever seen are not?!? You’ve contradicted yourself completely mate.

You are talking out of your backside pal. Imperialism and arrogance? Sri Lanka is ruled by a violent thug family and their goons are let loose on anyone who opposes its actions. I salute Ch 4 for its bravery and perseverance.

In his last two visits to UK, President Rajapakse was not allowed to participate any event by the Tamil diaspora thugs. What did British police do? What did Channel 4 do? If you cannot manage 0.00001% of a violent group that openly support (carrying their flags) proscribed terrorist group, you all have to understand that Sri Lankan authorities cannot control 99% of the Sri Lankan population that are against what Channel 4 is doing. You should be happy that your visit was entartained by Govt of Sri Lanka, although you are barred in entering India. – See more at: http://blogs.channel4.com/miller-on-foreign-affairs/channel-4-news-blocked-mob-sri-lanka/454#sthash.aE0uwYqR.dpuf
********************C4 win award of The Best Liars Channel in World *******************

If Channel 4 is blocked on any pretext, Prince Charles, PM-Cameron and Mr.Hague should not attend CHOGM as was promised. Will the Brits use their conscience (at least now) with regards to Sri Lanka against Tamils issue?

Rowan Simpson, Like Hirunika Premachandra you also might need the treatment of this regime on one of your relatives before you realize how barbaric the regime is. Until then I’m sure you’ll be singing their praises.

When President MR was blocked by mobs at Heathrow and again prevented from addressing a meeting in London, what did the UK government do? nothing. MR is a head of a governmenet, he is not a 4th rate journalist of Channel 4. Sri Lankans have the right to protest, this is a democratic country.

Brother Rowan. Please come to north and speak to our people first. Then you will find out who are liars. I have lost nearly 10 innocent relatives by brutal racist Sri Lankan forces. Mr. Macrae I salute you for your service. Well done. Long life for Callum and Jonathan.

If Sri Lanka didn’t want the as you say imperialistic people why beg to have Chogm in the god forsaken country.
The western journalists are not scared of the goons of Rajapakse. Its quite funny really as Sri Lanka is getting the publicity it craves for only this time it is of the wrong kind.

Imperialism -‘ An instance or policy of aggressive behaviour by one state against another’, i.e the Sri Lankan Government’s control over the Tamil population.
Purile and benighted comments such as ‘Imperialist mindset’, ‘thinks it owns the world’, simply reinforce views held by ignoramus people, who are clearly have a tunnel vision on the reality of the world.
Fantastic journalism by the Channel 4 News team, who continue to take a moral stance on serious issues in our turbulent world. CHOGM in Sri Lanka simply highlights the morally bankrupt attitudes by Commonwealth countries, who once again fail to live up to the principles they hold in such high esteem, ones of freedom and demorcracy; instead they prefer to endorse a tyrannical regime, with their rather whimsical and politically inept abilities to confront and hold to account such perpetrators against humanity, in other words, ‘War Criminals’.
The crowd’s unlettered assumptions about the Channel 4 News team’s visit to Sri Lanka and their lack of knowledge about the, ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary, clearly highlights a dictatorship that is panicking. Their use of flaky tricks to impede the Channel 4 news team, is a simplistic strategy that will only backfire, and grant you more attention.
Perhaps a screening of the, ‘No Fire Zone’ film in Sri Lanka is needed, to educate and open the eyes of a blinkered populus or is the Sri Lankan Government to afraid to allow this?

Tamils who live in Srilanka are voiceless and oppressed by army and government.you are utterly wrong.Freedom for press always needs to be respected in a democratic country. No wonder, in srilanka which has appalling war crime records, the world best news channel 4 was described as ‘mob’. You are definitely government’ s agent.

The President and his authorities will try to block every attempt by News media to report from Tamil areas of the island. The government is capable of organising this kind of demonstration within minutes using modern communication. David Cameron and William Hague should not help Sri Lanka flout one of Commonwealth’s principles. They must honour these or boycott COHGM forthwith.

While I do not agree the blocking of your journey up north, which in fact has been undertaken without any hindrance by a large number of other western government representatives, journalists etc and reported back the situation publicly. Ch 4 guys need to make some effort to observe the situation, and experience the country in an unbiased way, removing all the filters you guys are having in front of your lenses. You have to admit that there are certain degree of misinformed facts surfacing in all of your reporting, which made you unpopular in SL. And you make clear effort to carefully craft your language, and the use of terms and pictures to please the pro-LTTE diaspora in the UK. For example, yesterday you reported about the ‘un-elected’ secretary of deffence, of course in the UK government secretaries are elected MPs, but in Sri Lanka its not the case for any ministerial secretary, which majority of your British audience is not aware of. Similarly you use shadow figures, people without any names etc to substantiate your facts, which comes as surprises to those in the country and of course hurt their feelings who are finally breathing some sigh of relief after a bloody internal conflict, during which time none of you bother to report about the suffering innocent civilians, Sinhalese or Tamil. Do some research about the amount of effort LTTE and it supporters made to mislead the public. I have personally witnessed photos of cadavers, of which all the internal organs have been removed, appearing in shop windows in Tooting. The caption stated that SL government soldiers have removed the body parts, but a little research found that that those photos are from a morgue in a southern Indian state, where the morgue was actually damaged by a rat infestation, Ch 4, be careful, you might end up in a big hole dug by yourselves, and even damaging the reputation of the entire organisation. Try to enjoy the country, this is probably the only country where you can look through a single window and see a Buddhist temple, catholic church, Hindu temple and a Muslim mosque inside the same frame.

In his last two visits to UK, President Rajapakse was not allowed to participate any event by the Tamil diaspora thugs. What did British police do? What did Channel 4 do? If you cannot manage 0.00001% of a violent group that openly support (carrying their flags) proscribed terrorist group, you all have to understand that Sri Lankan authorities cannot control 99% of the Sri Lankan population that are against what Channel 4 is doing. You should be happy that your visit was entartained by Govt of Sri Lanka, although you are barred in entering India.

You say Tamil peaceful law abiding protesters are 0.00001% and therefore not allowed to protest. This is exactly the problem with the Sinhala nation of south Sri lanka. This is how Sinhala ethnic majority is treating the Tamils since independence in 1948. Hence, all these unending problems engulfing the island nation even todate.

you guys only looking at the one side of the story. as a sri lankan, i know how people suffered throughout the 30 years of bloody war. thanks to current precident who was elected by genuine election, not once but twice has freed us.

you guys are talking about human rights, such a joke, who are gonna talk about of the human rights violations done by britain when they conquering other nations killing thousands of native civillions, destroying civilizations. and who are gonna talk about the human right violations done by usa and britain even in this modrn era.

we suffered for 30 years, and just standing from our own feet, strengthing our economy. talk to innocent sinhalese who lost their families and talk to general public about the war and suffering they faced. at the war times where were you guys??

when we were slaughtered by ltte where were you guys.. first look in to your own country’s human right record,

I still find it amusing that you justify the mass murder of 40 000 Tamil civilians. Channel 4 s trying to correct the mistakes Britain has made in the past by ignoring human rights. So please just let them talk. Another major overlooked aspect is the reason why the mob is not letting Channel 4 North. If they know that human rights were not broken, then why don’t they let them see what’s happened in the North. How come every single protester in the mob is just targeting C4 but not actually providing any response to the human rights allegations.

So you are saying that all tamils should be killed at any cost? What did these innocent children,woman, men etc do to be killed brutally.clearly the gov’t just labeled all Tamils as terrorist to get rid of the tamil population.don’t have such a narrow minded! Life is very simple if you try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand things as it is . How would you feel if your own sister got raped or mum brutally beaten to death? Child torn into pieces? You can only ignore the truth if your heart has turned into a stone!

first of all i want 2 ask u?are you srilankan?have you ever been vavuniya?i wan to say as a srilankan my mom was sinhala may dad was tamil….i have experienced about war……..i have been 30 years experience about war we missed lot of our relations and we lost our propertys…….but its over……..lot of tamil & sinhales poeple were killed……this bladdy war…..ther s noneed 2 talk…..old thing becouse now we need …peace,,,,,,, our child need good futer…….becouse we live in srilanka ….(paranthan) we are not live in london or thamilnaadu….people like u can talk anything……but reality is…….not only government …..ltte is….so cruvel….terorist….@the last moment we unable to go 2 oposite side of srilankan army lttet people shoot us……. that is the thrue man….we hate…….war we hate diasfoura also…….baldy diespora……pukers need war but we need…..peaceful futer 4our child

Don’t make fault statement. Government not stop protest in the country because of CHOGUM. Today there are number of protest in the country including north. Why are you keeping say lies like this? Is this you call journalism!!!!!…….

When a war or natural disaster goes underreported, the agony of its civilian victims goes almost unrecognized. Imagine being the victims in an apparently interminable and underreported war, without an informed world community to which they can turn for urgent assistance.

Therefore please expose the truth and bring accountability and justice.

The commonwealth risks serious reputational damage if it allows Sri Lanka to assume chairmanship of the organization.

Please correct me if I’m wrong… since the people are against C4 it is a mob!!! If it was not it’s simply freedom of speech???? Are you guys for real? If this has happened in Jaffna and Pro Elam supporters were doing it and if government try to dissolve it, so called Journalists from C4 would have made another movie about how SL government ruthlessly steps on freedom of Speech. You guys are a bunch of wonderful Journalists. Keep up the sad work :D

ALL THIS ARE PREPLANNED BY MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE’S GOVERNMENT, HE WILL TELL CHANNEL 4 CREW CAN VISIT ANY PART OF THE COUNTRY, AND HE WILL SEND HIS AGENTS TO PROTEST, HIS ARMY TO GIVE TROUBLE. IF CHANNEL 4 VISITS KILINOCHI ALL WAR CRIMES AND ATROCITIES BY MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE AND HIS ARMY WILL BE REVEALED TO THE WHOLE WORLD. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE IS A COWARD. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK CHANNEL4 CREW. THE WORLD SUPPORTS CHANNEL 4 CREW

Rajapaksa is the hero who defeated a well established trrorist organisation of this century. He eliminated the most notorious Terrorist Pirabakaran and his groups, He saved the country from the British and the USA Tamil refugees . The history will record of his courage despite all these propaganda by Western media

I am a Sri Lankan, Now you are trying to say government helping party stop your North visiting trip of Sri Lanka and i feel first thing you must have to consider what have you telecast on medias past few months it has been impacted to protest of people. I think and feel channel 04 is not independence media, what you have reported in media, you have done that bias. Several time you made films, all those film showing violation Sri lankan army you had chance to think about the LTTE what has done at the time, they killed the Sinhala people, Muslim,Tamil,Burger,Malay, so many Sri Lankan they have killed.

But Channel 04 has been tried show that Sri Lankan goverment army responsible for war crimes. First thing your media people have to be understand the Sri Lankan Army is professional force they discipline and well trained army, they have done only humanitarian operation against terrorism. This effort not only army this is the entire Sri Lankan have been contributed (Tamil,Sinhala,Muslim,Burger,Maly) for this humanitarian operation.

Because of that your media can not say war crimes done by sri lankan army and only the war crimes done by LTTE.
Please stop your use less media reporting your making problems for entire Sri Lankan, now Sri Lanka trying to achieve country development, you support to those things.

Ultimately I would like to ask question why do not report Britain soldiers war crimes in Iraque? USA crime? Drawn fight to innocent Afagan peoples.

You are media team came to Sri Lanka in very important moment country with Commonwelth Summit and trying to show a bad picture a world.

But one thing should understand this media task is not processional and very,very bad picture for whole medias in the world.

All protests are banned by the government during CHOGAM. How and who allowed this one??? We all know.
I hope at least now the world knows the real truth of Sri Lanka. We are suffering under this government.

I have one question for you, In your third film, On which evidence did you come to conclusion that Isipriya was sexually assaulted? Looks to me you just show something and say something else.

It is wrong for government to allow bunch of goons stopping you visiting Jaffna. These silly idiots provide unnecessary attention to insignificant incidents.

As a responsible media institute, You have to be careful what you report, At the end You will not find a single Tamil to provide justice.
Influential will leave the country, Poor will die for military outfits.
If Sri Lanka is this bad for tamils how come 60% of Tamil population choose to live out side north and east?
This is not Drama! This is not reality show! If you have listened to horror stories of torture in SL, You can make volumes of films, Did you know that when the now so called opposition was ruling in late 80s, They tortured and killed 60,000 Sinhalese youth! Shame you guys were not there to report them.
We have a big human rights problem common to all Sri Lankans, By trying to prosecute Mahinda and Gotabhaya is not going to solve that, Becasue,

1. There was no so called genocide and you will prove nothing at the end.
2. More you try to prosecute them, More people will embrace them, because, they saved the nation from a plague of suicide bombing and mayhem.

i agree to every thing that you said!!.. as responsible citizens of the country we should stand against those fake dramas acted by CHANNEL 4.. u guys plz remember integrity and sovereignty of the country cannot be override by so called DOLLARS..so try to understand the reality as human beings and do not poke your fingers for fake stories…

Oxford police cancelled the president Rajapakse Oxford Union address due to LTTE protests. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11891866). Where was was the freedom of expression and freedom of movement in UK? Was he allowed to move any where in UK?

C4 seems to oblivious to the old saying ” What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”. On one hand, C4 is making a huge song and dance about how the freedom of expression and civil liberties are “suppressed” under the “authoritarian Rajapakse regime.
On the other hand, they are whinging that the the same president didn’t ban a group of demonstrators in a democratic country.
What a joke!

In my humble opinion, C4 and subjective journalism has been a contradiction in terms.

If I was in Srilanka, I would have joined those protesters. And I am British and left the country before I got the voting rights in Srilanka.

@Sri, don’t be so melodramatic. Channel 4 team is “not held up”. They are safely “tucked up” in the Hilton hotel, presumably, after several several beers in the bar to drown their sorrows.

I think C4 has a habit of underestimating Srilankan general public and their intelligence and patience. May be C4 can make a another “documentary” called “killing tracks and the government mob”.

As for William Hague, just keep your hair on mate, and give them a map next time to show where exactly which part of the country the CHOGM host city, Colombo is.

It is indeed obvious that in a country where the Majority represents more than 70% who has been marginalized as war criminals by an off shore media institution, will not tolerate and let enjoy its press freedom in Sri Lanka. Majority people see them as a sinister force which is getting its bread and butter from pro LTTE diaspora based in overseas. To grace the CHOGM 2013, Sri Lanka has compromised the public opinion by issuing visas to these undesirable guests into the island while India did not take any chance on them for some reasons.

This is typical behaviour of Sri Lankan government. If this is happening during CHOGM and to British journalists just spare a moment for the minority ethnic Tamils suffering under a Sri Lankan military rule. Surely Tamils are also part of Commonwealth and their human rights should also be respected by Commonwealth. Its shame that our prime minister and Royals are shaking hands with a war criminal.

I am Sri Lankan. I am not a big fan of CH4’s reporting on Sri Lanka. I believe CH4 works according to an agenda which is totally anti Sri Lankan. Reporting lacks context completely. Though crimes exposed are grave and should be investigated at once.

I am no fan of GOSL or Rajapassa brothers either. They are being silly, organising mob demos etc. CH4 should be free to travel around SL, if they so wish.

However, President Rajapassa was in the UK to deliver a lecture at Oxford Union. He was not free to do so in your country. Due threats from various LTTE mobs based in the UK.

UK did nothing to accommodate this basic freedom to Sri Lanka’s President. Therefore you hardly have any moral authority to lecture anybody else.

Nice to meet you in this forum.But I am dissapointed with your posting here.

Mahinda going to Oxford was a private visit.
Sri Lanka is hosting an international event of all commonwealth countires.
UK Govt and other Gobvts were assured that accredited news agnencies will be given visa and free to travel to any part of the country.

I am surprised you are comparing privately organised protest by few LTTE supporters at Oxford to that of carefully planned and orhcastrated mob violence organised by the Rajapakse regime Govt of Sri Lanka?.

It was not a private visit by Rajapakse to Oxford. He was invited by the Oxford union. It was not a few LTTE rump but a lot so much so the Oxford union had to cancel the meeting.
Now CH4, Macrae and Miller are complaining. When the same thing happened to Rajapakse CH$ didn’t even mention it in the news to say that it was wrong. Whenever Rajapakse arrived in LHR he had to go through the back door becuase the LTTE terrorists who are being protected and harboured by the British govt protested and din’t allow him to pass through the normal route. British govt didn’t protect Rajapakse. Where was Cameron?Where was CH4 then.? It is only when SL public ptotest it is undemocratic.

Hi Rajesh,
So, president of a country cannot attend a ‘private’ function in UK and the Oxford Police said that they can’t control the crowd brought by the LTTE front groups ( LTTE rump) BTF, GTF, etc. You expect the SL police disperse the protesters and let LTTE-paid C4 crew to go anywhere they want in SL. You still consider SL is British colony?

Why only C4 facing the problems? What about other foreign journalists?

In 1817 Uva-Wellassa uprising, the British killed every men over 18 years of old and still the UVA province’s women population is much more than the men’s!

There are still people in hill country without lands because the British grabbed their lands from Sinhalese for coffee and tea plantations!

We being Sri Lankan’s ashamed of what happened today. These are all pre-planned buy regime. No one is discrediting Sri Lanka except this disastrous regime. Please do not consider as all Sri Lanka’s are same. As Sri Lankan’s when someone visits our home we never treat anyone in this manner …. we are famous hospitable people.

The Channel 4 team stated that their job is reporting war crimes in many places around the world. And further this team stated they are also parallel reporting killings done by LTTE.
We have a question from Channel 4. If you want to prove yourself as neutrally reporting media, show us your other videos you make against LTTE’s crimes. Now every sri lankan including Tamils and Muslims knows that Channel 4 is not media but Mafia.

In light of the well-documented atrocities carried out by the Sri Lanken government and revealed by Channel 4 and others, it is obviously disgraceful that the British Government is attending this conference. No doubt they will tell us that they were there in order to encourage and uphold “Commonwealth democratic values”. Yes – better tell that to the local displaced Tamil population in their ‘camps’.

And, given that the country has now descended in to what is virtually a police state, with no opposition tolerated, local journalists “disappearing” when not sticking to the government line and rent-a-mob tactics employed against channel 4 and presumably other foreign media in general, it will be interesting to see what weak excuses Cameron and Hague can muster, when they return.

I’m a Sri Lankan Tamil and want the world to no now Sri Lanka is a peaceful country unlike under the LTTE. I want to say to the channel 4 to leave Sri Lanka alone and time will heal mistrust between people. I’m saying this because i live right thought my life in Colombo and Jaffna . I did not leave this country at anytime. “Rome was not built in one day”.

We are all Sri Lankans living in peace. All these issues have been created by politicians just for their political advantage. Channel 4 should be pleased that they were allowed in to Sri Lanka and should not think that they can do anything in Sri Lanka. This is not UK, governed by Sri Lankan law… If they are not comfortable please go back and report the way they have been doing by practicing third class cheap media practices. The world know their credinility.

Poor Channel 4, they should visit the north and hear things from both sides. However Sri Lankans have the right to protest and be angry at Channel 4. Channel 4 have the right to criticise any Government but their coverage is very personal and attacks the communities and citizens of SL. So fair enough to protest and show that people are not happy attacks on their country.

I am a Sri Lanakan. There is no wonder about these protests. Majority of the people are clearly very angry with the government immigration department for issuing visas to this group of so called journalists of CH4.
It was very clear how biased CH4 was during last few years. Now the last thing they can complain is that these protests are organized by the government.
I challenge Channel 4 to make a film about killing fields and massacre done by British during 1818 to early 1900s in Sri Lanka

British rulers had been killed thousands of Sri Lankan from 1818 to 1948 in their colonial time why don’t you make a film in respect of those crimes
Please note that LTTE had been killed thousands of civilians including children in Anuradhapura city and its surrounding villages from 1983 to 2009 Did Chanel 4 voiced about it ???

British rulers had been killed thousands of Sri Lankan from 1818 to 1948 in their colonial time why don’t you make a film in respect of those crimes
Please note that LTTE had been killed thousands of civilians including children in Anuradhapura city and its surrounding villages from 1983 to 2009 Did Chanel 4 voiced about it ???
We all Sri Lankan including Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims are living here peacefully after ending 30 years war Please Please Chenal 4 you mind your own business

As I read these comments, I can make out that, not a single Sri Lankan individual (Sinhalese mainly) considers there would be any worthiness to give the Tamils any justice what so ever. No one wants to consider the cause of LTTEs existence. They don’t even want to admit that there is another race/culture in this country and no respect. I think the realization will only come when the Tamils have their own freedom.

“give the Tamils any justice what so ever”.
what is the justice they ask for? As far as I see 60% of the tamils of Sri Lanka live in the South with the Sinhalese people. out of the remaining 40% there would be 5% extremist tamils who believe in LTTE’s nazi ideology, and want to create a mono-ethnic apartheid state for tamils only, but make no mistake, 90% of sri lankans will never allow that to happen. Brits will not be able to hack our country anymore.

“No one wants to consider the cause of LTTEs existence.”
Sri Lankans know very well the cause of their existence. As the Brits dumped milions of tamils from tamil nadu, with the intention of “diluting” sinhalese power, they also created the rift between the 2 communities which for 1000s of years lived side by side peacefully. Even the last king of Kandy (Heartland of the sinhalas) was a tamil.

“They don’t even want to admit that there is another race/culture in this country and no respect.”
Everyone in Sri Lanka have respect for all the races/cultures that co-exist there. (Just go around and see for yourselves the sheer number of churches of different sects/hindu temples/muslim mosques etc in every street corner), But no one will have special rights even if they exploded trains/busses for 30 years.

Shouldn’t the Channel 4 journalists be happy that Sri Lankans are free to protest, even when they protest against the questionable activities/objectives of Channel 4? It’s the peoples right to peacefully protest regardless if it is against foreign media. Channle 4’s complaints against the peaceful protesters only shows their biased intentions.

Channel 4 is increasingly stirring the pot to create more and more division among the Sinhalese and Tamils all because they are well funded by the Tamil diaspora who will never return to Sri Lanka to settle down. They however will visit all the same, while at the same time claiming that Tamils who visit Sri Lanka will be tortured. Just go to a Sri Lankan High Commission or Consulate office and see the deluge of Tamils requesting visas.

Let’s keep the opinions and debates relevant here…no Srilankan news media was banned or protested against visiting parts of the UK . Also Mr. David Cameron is not accused of any war crimes with factual evidence as Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Given the fact that the protest is against an international media and not against an individual, nullifies the comparison about freedom to protest.

If the Srilankan government believes that the “truth” as they claim is different to the Channel 4 reports, then allowing the journalists to North can only help them!! Make up your own minds…. Wishing all reporters held up a safe journey home. Thank you for taking the stand for true Journalism.

Why chanell 4 is harressing Sri lanka by making no of films against SL. I am Singhala , my best friends are Tamils. we are living happy and peacefully in this country. Both of us suffered for 30 yrs due to WAR, During that 30 yrs how many crimes,killing happened by LTTE. chanell 4 try to create another crime doing this type of things. If I was in Anuradhapura I also join the protest and will ask from Chanel 4 group why they are doing this type of damages

deepika u only knw abt ltte did war crime.then u dnt knw abt srilanka army did war crimes???did u c the srilankan killing filled did u c the no fire zone documentry u cn c first this films after that u cn say who did the war crime and who killed 400000 thousand civilians ok

Do not deceive the world that Tamils are happy in Sri Lanka. The prove is that almost 70% of the Northern Provice citizens voted (in May this year) the opposition Tamil Party, TNA, expressing their anger and disatisfaction of being raped and torture by the government Police and soldiers. Why the army is still occupying Tamil people’s land and being dictated by army daily in the North.

Hi My dear Sri Lankan Majority friends, You people may praise MR and GR as much as you want, but you people do not understand that they are using the war victory to enjoy the wealth of this country. And I do not know whether the Sri Lankans are aware of the fact that currently every single Sri lankas bear £3000 of the total SL Loans, which is RS300000, it takes about 2 to 3 years for an average Sri Lankan to save that money. You people are blaming tamils as traitors , but I would just like to tell you people something. My cousin and his 5 friends migrated to Australia last year all of them are doctors. And he was the only one Tamil, rest of the five were Sinhaleese. People if you do not think now, you will have most of the educated people out of the country, and will have unskilled people roaming around. If you do not realize where Sri Lanka is heading now, it will be too late when you realize it, because either you will starve like in Somalia or you all will be speaking Mandarin and will be ruled by Chinese. So stop blaming this journalist , and think, brains were given to think, not to get influenced.

It is evident that government supporters must have a guilty feeling regarding the final stages of the war, they keep thinking that this is about the LTTE and war crimes. As a British Tamil living in the west i do not see it essential that LTTE should be carrying our national flag, nor is it so much about a seperate Identity, its about EQUAL RIGHTS for HUMANS. It has been proven that torture abductions and rape is rife in the North of Sri Lanka. Channel 4 wants to know why? Like I said – this is not about the LTTE it is about the regard for Human life Sinhalese or Tamil. It may be pure coincidence that it is the tamil population are feeling this systemic genocidal attitude from the GoSL as the figures/reports/evidences show that more Tamils are being tortured than Sinhalese SINCE THE WAR FINISHED. Why?? People MAY have issues with the UKs foreign policy BUT people who come to London feel safe, that is what we want to uphold a Commonwealth Value. Hats off to channel 4 for trying to upholding the values of free speech.

Dont worry very soon in the near future srilanka will be separated. even this is confirmed by the Priminister of Srilanka few day back that in another three years Hambanthota will be srilankas main capital. Even the government know that. it is because of the foolish actions of Rajapaksa & the brothers for their arrogant style of handling international matters. wait watch & see.

The Majority of the people will not understand how it is like living as a tamil in Sri Lanka. I have lived in Nothern part of Sri Lanka until 2011. My close relatives lsot their business because LTTE asked fro random, I have seen both side a lot than people from South. I do not support LTTE and SL government. I have seen Sl Army beating people front of my eyes and front of my house, I have seen a body of a young girl next to an Army camp in Sri Lanka where Jaffna is 100% tightly controlled by only SL army. I am sure SL army is capable of committing war crimes, because I have seen them with my eyes. I have always seen the sinhalese peopel compare LTTE with SL army saying why they do not investigate on LTTE crimes. Then are you trying to tell me that LTTE and Sri lankan army are the same, thus we do not need to investigate into this. And for the mistakes, for the atrocities LTTE done, they have been already punished by SL government. Now who is going to punish and answer the questions for the crimes committed by SL? Guys trust me building roads, buildings railways is not called freedom or democracy. Come to the outside world and see what is the meaning of real democracy. Until you accept and learn from your mistakes, there no chances of the country to move forward, you will just go backwards. I am sure Sri lanka is already going backwards

Channel 4; why don’t you guys stop in Anuradhapura and interview the people who was living border villagers about war crimes committed by LTTE ?
I personally don’t feel that we should need any accountability. coz its was 30 years old war and so many of them died raped torchered from both sides. Current government had peoples mandate to wipe out LTTE . So mind your own business. There is a democratically elected Tamil members in the parliament to take care Tamils in Sri Lanka. You guys doing LTTE diasporas contract and it will hurt people in Sri Lanka including Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims.

Hah! “Mobs”…. Not protesters. although the pictures suggest otherwise…. ) hey this is C4 english. But I wonder why they didn’t do some photoshop editing so that they could put some clubs / knives in people’s hands so that they could prove their point that sri lankans/sinhalese protesters are mobs and not protesters? pure racism C4 STYLE.

One simple example of how Ch4 twists facts is this. Darusman report of UN says “there is credible evidence that up to 40,000 civilians may have been killed in last stages” – Ch4 quoting this report twists the wording and says, “UN report says at least 40000 were killed.”
Upto 40,000 and at least 40000 gives entirely two different meanings. (40,000 is an imaginary figure in the first place)
Such is the hypocrisy!

It is based on the true-life story of a former LTTE cadre Jayawardanee, who was shot at on her face by the LTTE and was badly injured, whilst crossing over to the government side at the end of the war.

She was air lifted to Colombo by the army and several operations later, regained consciousness after six months. Although she made a full recovery, her face was disfigured.

It has all the ingredients that Callum is allergic to:
Ex LTTE cadre – now denouncing the organisation.
The LTTE shooting at its own people.
The family rescued by the Army and treated in Colombo.
The family reunited and most of all, she was willing to tell her story.

Hi guys, I support the c4 for what they do. At least some one is trying to get justice for tamil people.well done c4. some sinhalese people say they suffered in the hand of the ltte for 30 years. but the thuth is we as tamil people suffered from the murder from the sinhala government and their thugs. thats what c4 is trying to bring to alight to the world. please speak to singala people in sri lanka about this government they will tell you how exactly they feel. Sri lanka might me a paradise but shame of sinhala murders who is living there.

Why is there a block to go north if the ltte is defeated?? Is it because they know tamils are brave enough to tell the truth despite the tortures and rape? They do not want tamils to expose the gutless/heartless army who massacred no fire zones? Channel 4 want to speak to the tamils so why is there a protest by sinhalese people?? How did they get there?? is it because they r the ones who actually the ‘re-settled’? If you have nothing to hide johrnalism is a good thing. Its clear tht the GofSL have realised they cannot keep tamil civilians shut despite their terror tactics to create fear. If britain and america had no journos and employed the same heartless tactics as GofSL they would have the taliban done and dusted in 6 months.

Poor Sri Lanka. Where were these C4 reporters when sri Lanka was burning with all the atrocities carried out by most ruthless Tamil terror organisation who introduce sucide bombing to the world?
This is called baised/partial reporting?
Did C4 sight Sri Lanka to report all the atrocities such as killing children in their bed, hacking and chopping pregnant mothers to be in their sleep in remote villages of sri Lanka? fortunately for Tamil expacts , ruthless tamil terror leading Velupillai Prabhakara created an atmosphere in the North and the east for them to leave Sri lanka and claim refugee status in western countries. Unfortunately, most of these people had to finance the terror organisation to keep the war going for their survival as refugees in these western countries. When Sri Lankan govt managed to eradicate this terror organisation which killed one President, One Primeminister and so many interlectuals including their own Tamilian Lakshman Kadiragamar, theses Tamil expacts have no choice but to protest againt the Sri lankan govt. Some of the tamilian expacts use the war as a business to make money by extorting money from tamil refugees in these western countries. So it is always best to look at both sides of the story and make impartial reporting as a responsible media organisation.

As C4 claims that they are for the oppressed, then start from your own backyard. I am sure you have tons of material about how your own so called the most enlightened decent respectable human beings in your army committed human rights violations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Then talk about millions slaughtered by the U.S forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan put together. Your exercise is purely based on funds received from LTTE diaspora. Haven’t you realised that your actions have increased President Rajapakse’s popularity? Leave Sri Lanka alone to heal it’s deep wounds affected by three long decades of war. Look at the progress the country is making. 60% of Tamils live happily along with Singhalese brothers and sisters in the south. If you claim to be so principled people, then stop nurturing terrorists and separatists of sovereign countries. Practice what you preach. Anuradhapura protest is justified by the atrocities suffered by those border village people who suffered for 30 long years at the hands of ruthless terrorists. Your righteous government even could not let President of a country visit a university in your own capital city due to protests by terrorist sympathisers, irrespective of a private or a state visit. So what are you talking C4? Aren’t you people running around naked pointing fingers at others?

I’m not sure what is this complain is all about?
CH4 produced at least 2 bias anti Sri Lankan documentaries, and showed it around the world, portraying very bad image about Sri Lanka and its security forces. Irrespective of what CH4 said, Sri Lankan people voted the government that finished 30 years civil war in the both presidential and general elections.
It is clear that majority of the Sri Lankan’s approve what government is did and doing. if CH4 is working against the majority of the people of the country it is natural that they protest against it.
It is their freedom of expression and CH4 should respect for their feelings as well.
It is only fair to complain if CH4 crew couldn’t make their Journey to north of the country due to the protest, but delay of few hours is some what that acceptable, given the track record of the CH4.
I’m sure if CH4 produce similar documentary about USA war in Iraq, USA general public will not allow CH4 crew to travel in USA. They are not dealing with protests, they usually have guns

Mr.Cameron will now see for himself that there is no Freedom in Sihala Lanka and his justification for going there to engage the Criminal MR. has turned out to be a Disaster.
Rambukawell has already made it clear that Cameron will not be allowed to ask MR any awkward question so what is Cameron going to do.
Well he can have a photo shoot with MR tight lipped and return to Britain and say I have been and back and it was worth it and everything is fine.
What a humiliation for a Great British Prime Minister.
He could have rather stayed at Home and kept his honour intact.

When SL Prime Minister Mahinda visited UK to deliver lecture at Oxford University, a mob prevented him doing so. This was a head of state visiting UK and British police did not take any action to disperse the mob. How can one expect when a crew of third class journalists visit a third world country, a similar issue not to happen?

The fact of the matter is, for C4 or for whoever else that wants to complain about the whole situation from outside is too easy.

Brits and DC: Imagine that 0.1% of the population that are on refugee visas in your country claiming that they want to govern London or Manchester? What would you do?
Us Sri Lanka’s tolerated that for over 30 years.

1. It was never a war about Tamils Vs Sinhalese. It was a war about Sri Lankans Vs Terrorists.
2. After putting up with the social & economic issues for 30 years due to the war – SL govt gave ample time for the people to move away from the war effected areas (they had 30 years if they really wanted to)
3. Look at the current situation in Lanka. I make personal visits to Kilinochchi every month – the amount of funds being invested in to that region and the opportunities are better than Colombo itself.
4. People who talk crap from London, Canada – please go to Kilinochchi and have a look at the number of Hindu Kovils being built there and the freedom that they have now (back to my first point)
5. and yes I live in Sri Lanka and yes I have lost my brother due to the war – so stop talking crap you privileged morons trying to fix the world with an internet connection and access to a computer.

Though the LTTE diaspora in England demonstrated against the President and others invited to UK to give talks and got the talks cancelled; though these same mobs prevented Indian and SriLankan films being screened in UK as they were not favourable to the Tigers; though in Tamilnadu they even assault Sinhalese tourists; though Ch-4 is guilty of all these allegations made against them; though they are possibly in SriLanka to produce another distorted and fabricated movie, I do not agree with denying them the right to travel to the North, thereby stooping to the level of LTTE behaviour, in foreign countries.
Anyway, the British High Commission has lost its moral right to protest against this as Britain did nothing when the LTTE demonstrated in London.

I know you trying to help Tamil people. But we can see your information are totally wrong.

Could you please watch this you tube video it was uploaded 2 years before your program. Could you please don’t give a place to LTTE lies.
C4 is a respected news Chanel, we are not expecting such things from you.

There can’t be a two videos with two languages, Sinhala voices is came after two years later.I’m requesting you to investigate this correctly and tell the truth.

Well Britain is free and peaceful country too.Last two visits of Sri Lankan president (one was to deliver a lecture to Oxford Union) was blocked by terrorists’ diaspora in Britain.Neither British government nor police could accommodate it (or a deliberate pretending?) ICC champions trophy was disturbed by terrorist supporters.What did British police do? Sri Lankan student was stabbed to death. A country pretending to be “Human Rights guru” and there is no control over a minority and to question us? Are you kidding me? We as a nation well deserve the right to protest against useless cowards who are against us.The Joke of the century is “Britain lecture others on Human Rights”

The main point here is war crimes. But what we believe is War Is the Crime. There is no good wars and bad wars. War is always a Crime. Why the Wars which are lead by UK and US are good wars but the Srilanka is a bad war.

What we need to see is what happen after war, are we in a better place or not. There is no killings/bombs we can live freely. But when it comes to human rights, a terrorist can rip off any of us at any time, which is Not a Crime.

But A govt, force destroying them is a Crime. In a war when in face to face first one pulls the trigger wins, and once they die they are baried without their wapons. When you dig those graves you will find civilian bodies as there is no way to say he was a terrorist

Channel 4 came to cover CHOGM not the north. if they are decent they will nt act against the media guideline. the media who is coming with presumption is nt allowed to this country. any one can see hw people enjoy this peace.majority against the channel 4 and fake videos which was unanswered in front of maj Shavendra Silva

Maj.Gen. Shavendra Silva was in the battlefront with the LTTE throughout from start to the end. Nobody could contradict/challenge him. He was an eye witness and nobody can deny that fact!! Neither Callum Macrae nor his informant who provided the information was aware the actual scenario during the final days of war raging on fiercely. Based on the hearsay, Macrae and with his expertise knowledge he made C4 film. However, during the final days of the war the GoSL too had given live coverage over state TV channels in which the Sri Lankans/entire the world had been able to see how the LTTE was shooting at Tamil civilians who were trying to get themselves freed from the human-shield of 300,000 civilians held by the LTTE. We havn’t forgotten how women, children, injured/feable desparate civilians were evacuated by our heroic soldiers who braved besides the suicide bombers, relentless LTTE barrage of mortars, artillery and other live ammo directed at them. In case of need, we are confident that GoSL will be able to provide these documentary proof at the right time at the place provided allegations are substantiated with proper witnesses!!! In fact Maj.Gen. Silva challenged Macrae on many a time for a debate on his controversial C4 film, regrettably Macrae had declined the challenge upto now. If Macrae is genuine he should have taken up the challenged and proved to the whole world that Maj.Gen. Silva was wrong!!!!

Sri Lanka, is not the place for jokers like C4 team. It has it own values and norms. They know how to treat any one who try to destroy the values of the country. Also most these villages are from border areas had direct threat from the LTTE. They suffered immensely for more than two decades of terror menace. They value how important the freedom enjoy right now, not expecting anyone to destroy that.

I sincerely think that C4 should leave Sri Lanka alone. We Tamil people are happy now than under the LTTE, To my brothers, sisters, son and daughters abroad i must say that you’ll are living a comfortable lives and taking about human rights in Sri Lanka. Do you no that many Tamil children were forcefully recruited by the LTTE and set to the front lines and got killed.
I’m a Jaffna tamil and a father who’s son got killed by the army when he was forcefully recruited and died fighting for the LTTE. He was barely 15 when he died.
I must say to my Tamil communities right across the world it takes time to heal problems between communities specially after 30 years of war.
War has now finish and it is time that we think what we should do to build close ties among the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims communities.
Moreover, spreading hatred on this site by both Tamil and Sinhales people will not solve problems.
I must finally say now i’m spending my retirement age in Colombo among the Sinhalese people and the Sinhalese people have been very helpful out to me when i need any help from them.
I’m lucky enough to see peace before i die and had my son been alive he would have been 34 year old young man. Now i feel he has died for nothing,

Channel 4 knows the real truth around the world. They don’t report 99% of the truth in this world. That is their duty. Channel 4 can’t hang on real matters which all world know.They try their best for money and not for the benefit of majority. They have fixed a board as pure media channel.
This is the way of creating and protecting terrorism with the license in hand. You can report for any one. But keep in mind we decide the real weight of your report. Though channel 4 tries their best, still they failed to break the peace of other nations. Try more and achieve what you have achieved so far. Nothing more.

Dear Channel 4,
As we all know that you are so bias when its come for the Sri Lankan brutal war. We all accept that terrorism is not welcome by any nation at nay cost. So if the British people also accept that fact, they can’t treat bloody LTTE as a organization which emerged to save the rights of Tamils. Specially the refugee Tamils in UK are day dreaming to get the separate kingdom in northern area of Sri Lanka. Therefore if the Channel 4 is working according to their hidden agenda, we all condemn the activties done by them even in UK or Sri Lanka.
Therefore Channel 4, you have to become a balance media organization and do cover the damage of Sinhaleese and Muslims in Sri Lanka because of the terrorist activities done by LTTS. To do all bomb blasting and all other terrorist activities , 90% of UK residence refugee tamils are accountable and they are the people who have supported LTTE in terms of supplying money and weapons. Are you ready to take any action against those tamils and if they found guilty for that, can you send them back to Sri Lanka. You do not have an answer for this mate. So you came Sri Lanka as official media for CHOGM and do you job first. If you really want to visit war victims , go and visit them as a gentleman . Do not try to be a Scotland yard here in Sri Lanka. Not only the tamils in north area but go and meet all war victims in other parts of the country, Specially the people who lost their beloved because of LTTE suicide bombers. make a video documentary on that as well.Then we believe that you do a good job in international media arena. until such we can see you as some sellfish people who will ready to do any dirty jobs to get the pocket full.
Macray and his team can be come a good friends of Sri Lankan only if you guys do the correct job. Try to help us as one nation and stay with us as our good friends…

PLEASE C-4 DON’T GIVE UP ON REPORTING.YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB.IF THIS CAN HAPPEN TO U JUST IMMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO PEOPLE OVER THERE.RAJABESHA REGIME NEED GO AND PUT ON CRIMINAL COURT.IF THEY GOT NOTHING TO HIDE THEY DON’T NEED TO WORRY.

World community should ask a question to themselves.
1. If an ethnic people in any part of world is affected by any group/govt, who will stop it? Who has to watch it and do justice for the affected people?
2. What is the function/role of UNO, Common wealth and reputed journalists of the world.
3. How to evaluate a warcrime of a leader (Rajapakshe) of a country, and who will do it?
4. Without allowing to visit the war prone area, not allowed to talk to the affected Tamil people in millions over there, how the truth will come out? Who will exhibit the reality of the people against the iron curtains veiled by the Rajapakshe Govt?
5. If this the situation, after showing 1000s of evidences, videos and cruel behaviour of Srilankan military, what more proof the world expects?
6. Will it not happen the same to any other races in the globe, by any other cruel race/govt, and then too we will be asking for more millions of proof and proofs, than doing the direct ground investigation?
7. Follow truth, follow the Dharma. Else, history will never forgive the “for- now-imperial-states/people”.

Anybody will act against who are spreading rumours of their own country. C4 has not any reputation in UK also. So, don’t try to clear out your path by spreading rumours about Sri Lanka. C4 never represented during the war period to talk the violence made by LTTE to Sri Lankans. And the funniest thing was that they didn’t pay the hire charges from Anuradhapura to Colombo to that van driver. What a shame C4????

The incident and the comments here by practically all the Singhalese clearly indicates the adherence to the 2 millennia old Mahawamsa mindset that is hell bent on eliminating either by killing or by chasing away Tamils from Sri Lanka in order to make it a pure Singhala country. Maybe the world can now see – casting aside for a moment all the anti-Tamil propaganda of the past – as to why the Tamils had to take up arms to win their freedom.

All these protest are organised and staged managed by Sri Lankan Army Intelligence, who control the lives in the island. Have a look at this stage managed protest in Mullaithivu. Where the final war happened and most of the war crime has been committed. The person who recorded this, who pretends to be a journalist is actually dictating the person on the video what to say. Now you tell me is free press exist in Sri Lanka ? Do Sri Lanka deserve to chair the commonwealth? They actually deserve to be expelled from commonwealth for the war crime they committed. See the link below.

Singalese people should know that Tamil people are not trusting any more the sl government after the war ended in 2009. TNA won the local election in the north by praising LTTE . they have clearly stated that we want rights to tamil people not the development. as they are under the control of sL army and the intelligence they could not express their view towards the SL government.

Dear C4
Please do what you are doing, all these protests are organised by the Government itself and the main man behind it is the Rajapaksa specially the cunning Gotabaya. Most of these protesters are paid people, the others that join them don’t know what they are doing, just following blindly. All of them are digging their own graves. The Rajapaksas past will very soon catch up with them, not very long now :-)

I feel sorry for you. Channel 4 has all the rights not to pay for the van journey back to Colombo. The van was arranged by the Police and the military intelligence. Luckily your van did not turned out to be a “White Van” which is very (in)famous in Sri Lanka. How many people have paid the fee for such Van in their final journey ? The fees were all paid by Mahinda and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. So you should ask the money from them as it was organised by the same forces, who used those “White Vans”.

Can we first talk about press freedom? Why were they not allowed if there was nothing to hide? Innocent ppl were killed by ltte over a period but that does not give mahinda and his thug brothers the right to kill 1000s of civilians….ltte was a terrorist organisation but the government of srilanka mass massacred thousands of civilians just so that they don’t miss killing any of the terrorists who might have hidden among the civilians ….mahinda will pay the price very soon along with his brothers …. Only a country like china who doesn’t value human rights will be supporting srilanka and don’t be surprised if Chinese migrate to srilanka when then don’t have any more space in china …. They are taking over everything …

more than 80% Channel 4 reports on Sri-lanka are false…They have no right to force twist and accuse srilanka on war crimes …because they have never ever done a report on war crimes done to sinhaleese and how many sinhala tamil and muslim children loosing both their parents by Tamil War Tigers….

and channel 4 you are terrorist group or a supporter of such, for not covering the true story of Srilanka -Tamil Tiger War.

For the past 4 years all you have done is show suffering for tamil in the north by Srilankan Armed forces..but have you ever considerd war crimes done by the Tiger terrorist group to more than 40% of the tamils in the north it self….

And belive, Mahinda Rajapaksa might have faults on his side,..but he has been a true All Rounder to make achive Srilanka to a better state than it has ever been before…

The incident and the comments here by practically all the Singhalese clearly indicates the adherence to the 2 millennia old Mahawamsa mindset that is hell bent on eliminating either by killing or by chasing away Tamils from Sri Lanka in order to make it a pure Singhala country …………

Point to note , they have already started eliminating the muslims as well and are racist towards catholics